The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-19

Mr.. Randall and the South.

In speech at Alexandria, Va, on last
Saturday Mr. Randall criticised quite severe
" those Democratic leaders who are adyo-
eating reduction of the tariff, and declared
that almost every State south of the Potomac
is drifting towards protection. He expressed
a strong desire TO help the South, and in the
course of his remarks on this line said: 'If
the South's own leaders mean many of
them, don't see the crisis ahead by turning
in with the current, and keeping it in the
line of friendship there will be sudden
ness and overwhelmingness of reckoning
such as has never been seen here or else
where"
Mr. Randall makes the mistake of thinking
that the development of the iron industry in
the South is causing a revolution in South
ern sentiment on the tariff question. There
is no doubt that the South is as solidly in
favor of radical reform in the tariff now
as she ever was. There may be a notice
able protection sentiment in the sugar pro-
ducing section of Louisiana, and in Alabama
and Tennessee towns where iron is manu-
featured, but, taken as a whole, the South
is now, as she has been for years, in favor of
tariff for revenue and not for protection.
Mr.. Randall does not hear of demand
for protection from the Presidents of the
largest Southern cotton mills. Now and
then there is manufacturer who is a pro-
tectionist, but it is doubtful of any one of
them noticeably influences public sentiment
in favor of protection, even in his immedi-
ate locality 1t would be interesting to
know, therefore, on what Mr.. Randall bases
his statement that almost all of the Southern
States are drifting toward protection.
1t is safe to say that the growth of the
sentiment in favor of tariff reform has
been much greater in the North and West,
within the last few years, than the growth
of the sentiment in favor of protection has
been, in the same period, in the South. The
Philadelphia Record, in commenting upon
Mr.. Randalrs Alexandria speech calls his
attention to the growth of the tariff reform
sentiment in his own State, Pennsylvania. 1t
says: 'But, instead of going South with
his old Wing doctrines of protection to hec-
tor Democrats because of their adherence to
the honored principle of their party,
let Mr.. Randall be admonished to
LUX 10 MS OWN rear. we recommend
to his attentive perusal the interviews with
the Democratic editors of Pennsylvania in
the Pittsburg Post. If he be not struck with
judicial blindness, such perlsal must con-
vince him that he cannot maintain his policy
of tariff obstruction in Pennsylvania
less carry it into the South or any other por-
ton of the country There are more Demo-
cratic journals in Pennsylvania favorable
to the principles of revenue reform as advo-
Gated by Carlisle, Morrison and nine tenths
of the Democrats in Congress than there are
Democratic organs of protection in the en-
tire South. The cause of tariff reform has
made more progress in Pennsylvania in two
years than the protectionist reaction in the
South has made in ten"
The truth is Mr.. Randall sees that he is
losing ground in his fight for protection, and
is trying to excuse himself for obstructing
the cause of tariff reform in Congress. 1t is
not yet known how the present Congress
will stand on the tariff question, but there is
no reason to think that Mr. Randall will be
| able to muster as many Democrats inoppo.
sition to tariff reduction next winter as he
did when that issue was before Che House in
the last Congress He will have to act with
his party on the tariff or he will soon.eniuy
the notoriety of being the only Democratic
| Congressman who stands with the RepubI-
cans on the greatest issue between the two
| great parties.